Caol Ila 10 Years Old 2015 Cask #302640 + 41 + 42 + 43 (Wilson & Morgan)

The Italian bottler Wilson and Morgan released this Caol Ila, a 10 year old, distilled in 2015, from cask 302640 + 41 + 42 + 43, bottled at 57.1%, one of 1055 bottles. Caol Ila is one of the largest malt distilleries in all of Scotland. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries.

Here the spirit was distilled slowly from peated malt for a refined island smoke, building the elegant Islay smoke at its heart. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness beneath the smoke. By the integrating teens harsher congeners fade and ethyl esters build, lending a riper citrus over the softening peat. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays. Its peated character is built on malt smoked to a medium level of phenols. Time in oak deepens the oily body while the maritime smoke stays bright.

At a full 57.1% it is bold and oily. A lemony Islay smoke over olive oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. A long, coastal finish carries a peaty warmth. This is an Islay malt that wears its smoke lightly.